Field initiatives > Global Policy & International Engagement > Philanthropy and the G20
Positioning philanthropy as a strategic partner in global decision-making
The G20 is one of the most influential global policy spaces, bringing together the world’s largest economies to shape priorities on development, climate, finance, and global cooperation.
Yet philanthropy, as a sector, has historically had limited presence in these conversations.
WINGS, supported by the Anglo American Foundation, is working to change that by helping position philanthropy not as a peripheral participant, but as a strategic partner in shaping collective global action.
This work ensures that philanthropy’s knowledge, networks, and resources are part of how global priorities are defined and implemented.
Why this matters
The G20 helps shape global priorities on development, climate, finance, and international cooperation, influencing how resources flow, how partnerships are formed, and which issues receive political attention and investment.
Yet philanthropy has historically had limited visibility within these spaces, despite its ability to connect communities, governments, businesses, and civil society actors across sectors and regions.
Philanthropy can help translate global priorities into locally grounded action, bring community-level perspectives into policy conversations, and support collaboration across sectors and borders.
Without proactive engagement, philanthropy risks being excluded from the spaces where priorities are set and resources are directed, limiting its ability to help shape global outcomes and connect global commitments to local realities.
What WINGS has done
Building philanthropy’s presence in the G20
WINGS has worked with members and partners to strengthen philanthropy’s engagement in the G20: coordinating the field, building awareness, and creating structured pathways for participation. Working alongside partners such as F20, which advances foundation-led climate and sustainability engagement within the G20, WINGS helps strengthen broader philanthropy participation, coordination, and cross-sector collaboration across the process.
This work contributed to major milestones:
- The first-ever reference to philanthropy in the G20 Leaders’ Declaration
- The establishment of the first-ever Philanthropy for Sustainable Development Working Group within the Civil 20 (C20)
- During South Africa’s 2025 presidency, WINGS and members built on this momentum: coordinating engagement across multiple G20 tracks and strengthening philanthropy’s collective voice. This also contributed to the launch of the B20 South Africa Business-Philanthropy Legacy Initiative.
These milestones mark a shift from ad hoc participation to more coordinated, visible, and sustained engagement by the philanthropic sector.
What this looks like
Philanthropy plays multiple roles within the G20 ecosystem—each helping connect global policy with grounded action:
As a connector
bringing together governments, civil society, and private sector actors
As a translator
linking community-level priorities with global policy discussions
As a catalyst
supporting innovation and advancing new ideas into policy spaces
As a technical partner contributing research, data, and expertise to policy processes
As a grantmaker
enabling local actors to participate and shape agendas
In practice, this has included:
- Supporting coordinated philanthropy engagement across G20 tracks
- Convening actors to align priorities and build partnerships
- Contributing evidence and recommendations to policy discussions and briefs on a range of themes such as climate, economic justice, and development
- Enabling local organisations to connect their work to global processes
Building continuity across presidencies
The G20 operates across multi-year cycles, with each presidency building on the last.
WINGS works to ensure sustained and coordinated philanthropy engagement across presidencies: helping build continuity, strengthen relationships, and create longer-term pathways for participation in global policy spaces.
This includes:
- Strengthening coordination and collaboration across philanthropy actors engaged in the G20.
- Supporting more structured and sustained philanthropy engagement across G20 processes and working groups.
- Positioning philanthropy as a consistent contributor to global development and policy discussions.